The Healing Amla Side Effects On Kidney Health

It was Easter morning, and my mom was in pain.  You could see on her face that something just wasn’t right with her health.

She couldn’t move … had to crawl upstairs …

I can still remember seeing her writhing in pain … a pain that she couldn’t control.    A short trip to the hospital and we found out the root cause of her pain:

Kidney stones.  And it wasn’t a small one at all … it was the largest one they had seen in quite some time.

They debated going in and taking care of it … but they waited it out to see if she could pass it on her own.

Thinking back on this time, I really wish we knew about Amla and how it could benefit her kidney health.

What Are The Kidneys?

Your kidneys are small, bean-shaped organs that lie directly below your ribs on either side of your spine.  They are relatively small—about the size of your fist—but perform a massive job for your body.

This organ, just like your liver, filters your blood of waste and toxins, which are then excreted from the body in the form of urine.

Your kidneys also work to maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals.

If you’re kidneys aren’t functioning normally, there may be other issues that occur throughout your body.

When healthy, your kidneys make hormones that:

• Control blood pressure
• Make red blood cells
• Keep bones strong and healthy (activate a form of vitamin D that helps your body absorb calcium)

Although your kidneys are very important to your overall health, some people may experience a dysfunction in their kidneys that may make it harder to eliminate wastes.

In fact, over 26 million people suffer from kidney disease that makes it harder for their kidneys to perform everyday functions.

And when this happens, it may cause long-term health complications, like weak bones, nerve damage, and other issues.

How does the kidney get damaged?

Typically, kidney disease occurs in people with diabetes (both uncontrolled and controlled), those with high blood pressure, and other chronic health conditions. 

This could eventually lead to a complete loss of kidney function, which could require dialysis to filter the blood.

The Different Types of Kidney Disease

Kidney Stones

Although there are many different types of kidney diseases, one of the most common forms happens to be kidney stones.

Kidney stones occur when minerals and other substances in the blood crystalize and create a small mass (stone) in the kidneys.

These tiny stones are then passed out of the body during urination, but can be extremely painful for the person who has them.

UTI (Urinary Tract Infections)

Urinary tract infections are bacterial infections that impact your urinary system. 

Although the infection typically impacts the bladder and urethra, there could be complications if the infection goes untreated.

An untreated UTI could lead to infection of the kidneys that could eventually lead to organ failure.

Polycystic Kidney Disease

This is a genetic disorder where cysts form and grow in the kidneys.   These cysts could interfere with kidney function, which oftentimes leads to failure.

In order for you to stay healthy, it’s important to maintain the health of your kidneys.  These small organs do a very big job for your body, so making sure they are healthy and functioning properly is super important.

And that means you need to take care of your overall health in order to keep your kidneys healthy.

Statistics show that people with diabetes are at a much higher risk for developing kidney diseases than those who do not.

And people with high blood pressure, may also be at risk for developing kidney disease.

Thankfully, the Amla side effects on kidney health can’t be overlooked when trying to maintain proper kidney health.

The Amla Side Effects On Kidney Health

Amla, also known as Indian gooseberry, may contain powerful nutrients that could improve kidney health.

In fact, the powerful polyphenols and high vitamin C content, may keep kidney stones, high creatinine levels, and blood pressure issues away.
Amla may:

1. Lower Creatinine Levels

Creatinine, which is a byproduct of cellular metabolism, is often filtered out of the body through the kidneys. 

Creatinine is shuttled from your bloodstream to the kidneys, where it is eventually excreted from the body.

However, when creatinine levels are high, it could mean there is a problem with your kidneys not clearing creatinine from your body.

And this could lead to a buildup of creatinine, which has the potential for causing life-threatening effects.

Amla, though, may be able to lower creatinine levels, therefore improving kidney health. One way to lower creatinine levels is to include fiber in your diet, which Amla has plenty of.

Although more studies are needed, studies do suggest that people suffering from high creatinine levels benefited from including more fiber in their diets.

2. Reduced Risk For Kidney Stones

Kidney stones, which are an accumulation of different wastes and byproducts that appear in stone form, may be very painful when eliminated from the body.

And this is why eating the right diet to reduce kidney stones is very important. 

One vitamin, vitamin B6, may reduce the risk for kidney stone development, therefore protecting your kidney health.

Amla, which contains many of the B vitamins, may be a good source of vitamin B6, therefore possible reducing the risk for developing kidney stones.

3. May Lower BUN Numbers

There are two molecules, COX-2 and iNOS that may cause kidney dysfunction while simultaneously increasing blood pressure.

But Amla wants nothing to do with that.  The powerful nutrients found in Amla may lower blood pressure, COX-2, and iNOS levels in the aorta, which could protect against poor kidney health.

BUN, which is a measure of kidney filtration function (the higher the level, the worse your kidney health is), may be reduced with the consumption of Amla, which could show better filtration function by your kidneys.

The Take Home Message

The health of your kidneys is extremely important to your overall health.  Poor kidney function may lead to a whole host of health conditions that could potentially be life-threatening.

From kidney stones and high creatinine levels, to high BUN levels, Amla may contain powerful nutrients that could prevent many of the common issues that impact your kidney health.

That’s why it’s important for you to understand the Amla side effects on kidney health and how this powerful antioxidant-rich fruit could improve kidney function, therefore reducing your risk for future kidney issues.


Here’s The Easy Way To Get 20 grams of Amla Berry Each Day For Better Kidney Health

Page Medically Reviewed and Edited by
Cyrus Khambatta, PhD

Cyrus Khambatta, PhD, is a cofounder of Mastering Diabetes and Amla Green is an internationally recognized nutrition and fitness coach who has been living with type 1 diabetes since 2002. Using an evidence-based approach to nutrition and fitness, he first reduced his own insulin usage by more than 40%, and has educated thousands of people with all forms of diabetes how to reverse insulin resistance using food as medicine. Cyrus earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 2003, then earned a PhD in Nutritional Biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 2012. He is the co-host of the annual Mastering Diabetes Online Summit, a featured speaker at the Plant-Based Nutrition and Healthcare Conference (PBNHC), the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) Conference, Plant Stock, and has been featured on Forks Over Knives, NPR, PBS, KQED, Fast Company, and is the author of the upcoming book Mastering Diabetes.

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